In a byelection in the Toronto area set for June 30, the Tories have put out a flyer with a photo of the Liberal who stepped down to run for city council, Jim Karygiannis, along with a quote from him: “This is not the same Liberal party we knew. The party has changed.”

Sounds pretty damning. On the flip side is a photo of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, as described in an article from The Canadian Press, superimposed on a picture of a young boy lighting up a joint.

The flyer continues: “Trudeau wants marijuana in local stores, just like alcohol and cigarettes.”

This is an apparent twist of Trudeau’s stance that legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana sales would help keep it away from children while also taking it from the hands of the criminal element.

With just the information supplied, this ex-MP could serve as a poster child in an attempt to discredit Trudeauesque Liberals – if Karygiannis was in fact saying these things. That’s where the smear fails.

Typically, the Tory attack dogs took a quote out of context. The former MP says his criticism refers to what he sees as the party slipping away from grassroots organizing, particularly among ethnic groups. He supports the party and the new Liberal candidate, although adding the marijuana policy and dictated stance on abortion bother some of his constituents. Still, he calls this attempt by the Tories to imply that he endorses this attack an “all-time low” for the Conservatives.

Perhaps it is, so far anyway.

By all means, include what you think is rational discourse on this or any issue. But this blitz is about as hysterically funny as the panic portrayed in the 1936 propaganda film “Reefer Madness.” This just makes the Conservatives look like they’re on the ropes, flailing blindly in desperation.